The absolute and relative composition of Holocene reef cores collected between 1976 and 2017 from the Florida Keys reef tract

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What does this data set describe?

Title:
The absolute and relative composition of Holocene reef cores collected between 1976 and 2017 from the Florida Keys reef tract
Abstract:
This data release provides a summary of the absolute percent composition of all recovered material and relative percent composition of coral taxa in the Holocene-aged intervals of 61 coral-reef cores collected throughout the Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) housed in the USGS Core Archive in St. Petersburg, FL (Estimated ages for distinct depths within each core are also provided; those ages were either measured by radiometric dating of coral samples at those depths or estimated by linear interpolation between measured ages. A complete dataset of all measured ages in the cores is available at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7NV9HJX (Toth and others, 2018).Estimated paleodepths of the equivalent depths observed in the coral cores acquired from 1976 to 2017 were determined by extracting the relative sea level (RSL) for each age in the cores from the model of Holocene RSL in south Florida developed by Khan and others (2017). For further information regarding data collection and analysis methods refer to the associated journal article (Toth and others, 2019). This research is a part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies Project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/).
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Toth, Lauren T., and Stathakopoulos, Anastasios, 20190521, The absolute and relative composition of Holocene reef cores collected between 1976 and 2017 from the Florida Keys reef tract: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release doi:10.5066/P93XXXA0, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Toth, Lauren T., Stathakopoulos, Anastasios, Kuffner, Ilsa B., Ruzicka, Robert R., Colella, Michael A., and Shinn, Eugene A., 20190606, The unprecedented loss of Florida’s reef-building corals and the emergence of a novel coral-reef assemblage: Ecological Society of America, Washington, DC.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -83.04861
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.0967
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.5906
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.4348
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 1976
    Ending_Date: 2017
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Tabular digital data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      Indirect_Spatial_Reference:
      The approximate GPS coordinates where each reef core was collected is provided in Toth and others (2018; https://doi.org/10.5066/F7NV9HJX)
      This is a Point data set.
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    FKRT_Absolute_Composition.csv, FKRT_Absolute_Composition.xlsx
    Absolute composition of FKRT cores. Describes the absolute percentage of intervals within cores from the FKRT composed of particular coral taxa or other carbonates (Source: Lauren T. Toth)
    Subregion
    The subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract where the core containing the sample was collected. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry Tortugas N.P.The westernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (N.P.).
    MarquesasThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between Dry Tortugas National Park and the Lower Keys.
    Lower KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Marquesas and the Middle Keys.
    Middle KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Lower Keys and the Upper Keys.
    Upper KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Middle Keys and Biscayne National Park.
    Biscayne N.P.The northernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park (N.P.).
    Site
    The name of the reef or site where a core was collected. (Source: USGS) The name given to the site by the researcher collecting the cores or the name of the reef where the cores were collected.
    Core ID
    Unique identifier for each core included in this study. (Source: USGS) Core IDs are generated using abbreviated information about the subregion, site, and core number and are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number.
    Interval ID
    A unique identifier for each interval in the cores analyzed in this study. (Source: USGS) Intervals IDs are generated by abbreviating information about the subregion, site, core, and the range of depths in the core that the interval spans (in feet). Interval IDs are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number_starting depth in core-ending depth in core.
    Starting depth of interval (ft)
    The starting depth of the interval in the core, in feet (ft), relative to the reef surface. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.3
    Maximum:50
    Units:feet
    Ending depth of interval (ft)
    The ending depth of the interval in the core, in feet (ft), relative to the reef surface. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.5
    Maximum:55
    Units:feet
    Length of interval (ft)
    The length of the interval, in feet (ft). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.8
    Maximum:25
    Units:feet
    Length of interval (m)
    The length of the interval, in meters (m). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.2
    Maximum:7.6
    Units:meters
    % Recovery
    The estimated percent (%) recovery of reef substrate within a particular interval of the core. Calculated by dividing the measured surface area of core constituents in an interval by the theoretical surface area of that interval based on the interval length and width (see Process Step). Note that because of uncertainties in the surface area measurements, it is possible that the percentages could erroneously be higher than 100%. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:106.8
    Units:Percent (%)
    Average depth of interval (m MSL)
    The average depth (elevation) of the interval in the core, in meters (m) relative to mean sea level (MSL). See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.76
    Maximum:30.42
    Units:meters relative to mean sea level (m MSL)
    Average paleodepth of interval (m bMSL)
    The average paleodepth of the interval in the core, in meters (m) below mean sea level (bMSL). In other words, this describes the average water depth at the time this interval was deposited. See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-2.67
    Maximum:23.71
    Units:meters below mean sea level (m bMSL)
    Average age of interval (years BP)
    The average age at which the interval was deposited, in years before present (BP; where "present" by convention is 1950). See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:121
    Maximum:10269
    Units:years before 1950 (years BP)
    Period
    Describes what sub-division of the Holocene the interval was deposited in based on the average age of the interval. Late Holocene=4200 years before 1950 (years BP) to present. Middle Holocene=8200 to 4200 years BP. Early Holocene=12000-8200 years BP. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Late HoloceneThe period from 4200 years before 1950 (years BP) to present.
    Middle HoloceneThe period from 8200 to 4200 years before 1950 (years BP).
    Early HoloceneThe period from 12000 to 8200 years before 1950 (years BP).
    Orbicella spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Orbieclla spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:91.17
    Units:percent
    Acropora palmata
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Acropora palmata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:71.13
    Units:percent
    Acropora cervicornis
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Acropora cervicornis coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:31.18
    Units:percent
    Pseudodiploria strigosa
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Pseudodiploria strigosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:82.01
    Units:percent
    Pseudodiploria clivosa
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Pseudodiploria clivosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:49.11
    Units:percent
    Diploria labyrinthiformis
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Diploria labyrinthiformis coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:44.35
    Units:percent
    Colpophyllia natans
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Colpophyllia natans coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:77.48
    Units:percent
    Porites astreoides
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Porites astreoides coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:16.94
    Units:percent
    branching Porites spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of branching Porites spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:7.06
    Units:percent
    Siderastrea siderea
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Siderastrea siderea coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:34.22
    Units:percent
    Millepora spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of MIllepora spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:26.07
    Units:percent
    Dichocoenia stokesii
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Dichocoenia stokesii coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:12.32
    Units:percent
    Montastraea cavernosa
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Montastraea cavernosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:99.91
    Units:percent
    Stephanocoenia intercepta
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Stephanocoenia intercepta coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:42.16
    Units:percent
    Eusmilia fastigiata
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Eusmilia fastigiata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:1.22
    Units:percent
    Mancinia areolata
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Mancinia areolata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:1.14
    Units:percent
    Oculina spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Oculina spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0.29
    Units:percent
    Agaricia spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Agaricia spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:3.23
    Units:percent
    Solenastrea bournoni
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Solenastrea bournoni coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:5.69
    Units:percent
    Dendrogyra cylindrus
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Dendrogyra cylindrus coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:11.88
    Units:percent
    Madracis spp.
    Gives the absolute percent composition of Madracis spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:3.01
    Units:percent
    Unidentified coral
    Gives the absolute percent composition of coral skeletons in the interval that could not be identified. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:12.97
    Units:percent
    Carbonate reef rock
    Gives the absolute percent composition of non-coral carbonate reef rock in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:88.58
    Units:percent
    Exclude? (Y/N)
    Indicates whether the composition data from this interval was included in the paleoecological reconstruction by Toth and others (2019). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    YY=Yes, the data from this interval were excluded in Toth and others (2019).
    NN=No, the data from this interval were not excluded from Toth and others (2019).
    Reason for exclusion
    If the previous attribute contains a "Y", this attribute explains why the data were not included in the reef composition reconstruction of Toth and others (2019). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    No recoveryThe interval was excluded because there was no recovery of any reef substrate in this interval.
    Paleodepth >10 mThe interval was excluded because the estimated average paleodepth of the interval, in meters (m) below mean sea level (bMSL), was greater than 10 m.
    Too little data from this subregionThe interval was excluded because there was too little data from this (the Marquesas) subregion to include it in the statistical analyses.
    Age model could not be constructed because there was only one Holocene age from this coreThe interval was excluded because an age model could not be constructed because there was only one Holocene age from this core.
    No Holocene ages from this coreThe interval was excluded because there were no Holocene ages from this core that could be used to construct an age model.
    No coral recoveryThe interval was excluded because there was no recovery of coral in the interval.
    FKRT_Relative_Coral_Composition.csv, FKRT_Relative_Coral_Composition.xlsx
    Relative composition of FKRT cores. Describes the percentage of intervals within cores from the FKRT composed of particular coral taxa relative to the total coral percent composition of that interval by all corals. (Source: Lauren T. Toth)
    Subregion
    The subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract where the core containing the sample was collected. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry Tortugas N.P.The westernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (N.P.).
    MarquesasThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between Dry Tortugas National Park and the Lower Keys.
    Lower KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Marquesas and the Middle Keys.
    Middle KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Lower Keys and the Upper Keys.
    Upper KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Middle Keys and Biscayne National Park.
    Biscayne N.P.The northernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park (N.P.)
    Site
    The name of the reef or site where a core was collected. (Source: USGS) The name given to the site by the researcher collecting the cores or the name of the reef where the cores were collected.
    Core ID
    Unique identifier for each core included in this study. (Source: USGS) Core IDs are generated using abbreviated information about the subregion, site, and core number and are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number.
    Interval ID
    A unique identifier for each interval in the cores analyzed in this study. (Source: USGS) Intervals IDs are generated using by abbreviating information about the subregion, site, core, and the range of depths in the core that the interval spans (in feet). Interval IDs are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number_starting depth in core-ending depth in core.
    Starting depth of interval (ft)
    The starting depth of the interval in the core, in feet (ft), relative to the reef surface. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.3
    Maximum:50
    Units:feet
    Ending depth of interval (ft)
    The ending depth of the interval in the core, in feet (ft), relative to the reef surface. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.5
    Maximum:55
    Units:feet
    Length of interval (ft)
    The length of the interval, in feet (ft). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.8
    Maximum:25
    Units:feet
    Length of interval (m)
    The length of the interval, in meters (m). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.2
    Maximum:7.6
    Units:meters
    % Recovery
    The estimated percent (%) recovery of reef substrate within a particular interval of the core. Calculated by dividing the measured surface area of core constituents in an interval by the theoretical surface area of that interval based on the interval length and width (see Process Step). Note that because of uncertainties in the surface area measurements, it is possible that the percentages could erroneously be higher than 100%. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:106.8
    Units:Percent (%)
    Average depth of interval (m MSL)
    The average depth (elevation) of the interval in the core, in meters (m) relative to mean sea level (MSL). See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.76
    Maximum:30.42
    Units:meters relative to mean sea level (m MSL)
    Average paleodepth of interval (m bMSL)
    The average paleodepth of the interval in the core, in meters (m) below mean sea level (bMSL). In other words, this describes the average water depth at the time this interval was deposited. See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-2.67
    Maximum:23.71
    Units:meters below mean sea level (m bMSL)
    Average age of interval (years BP)
    The average age at which the interval was deposited, in years before present (BP; where "present" by convention is 1950). See Process Step for a description of how this attribute was calculated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:121
    Maximum:10269
    Units:years before 1950 (years BP)
    Period
    Describes what sub-division of the Holocene the interval was deposited in based on the average age of the interval. Late Holocene=4200 years before 1950 (years BP) to present. Middle Holocene=8200 to 4200 years BP. Early Holocene=12000-8200 years BP. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Late HoloceneThe period from 4200 years before 1950 (years BP) to present.
    Middle HoloceneThe period from 8200 to 4200 years before 1950 (years BP).
    Early HoloceneThe period from 12000 to 8200 years before 1950 (years BP).
    % Coral Recovery
    The percent of recovered material in the interval that was composed of corals. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:99.91
    Units:percent
    Orbicella spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of Orbicella spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Acropora palmata
    Gives the relative percent composition of Acropora palmata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Acropora cervicornis
    Gives the relative percent composition of Acropora cervicornis coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Pseudodiploria strigosa
    Gives the relative percent composition of Pseudodiploria strigosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Pseudodiploria clivosa
    Gives the relative percent composition of Pseudodiploria clivosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:95.06
    Units:percent
    Diploria labyrinthiformis
    Gives the relative percent composition of Diploria labyrinthiformis coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Colpophyllia natans
    Gives the relative percent composition of Colpophyllia natans coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Porites astreoides
    Gives the relative percent composition of Porites astreoides coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:90.29
    Units:percent
    branching Porites spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of branching Porites spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:37.84
    Units:percent
    Siderastrea siderea
    Gives the relative percent composition of Siderastrea siderea coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:71.69
    Units:percent
    Millepora spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of Millepora spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:42.86
    Units:percent
    Dichocoenia stokesii
    Gives the relative percent composition of Dichocoenia stokesii coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:54.53
    Units:percent
    Montastraea cavernosa
    Gives the relative percent composition of Montastraea cavernosa coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Stephanocoenia intercepta
    Gives the relative percent composition of Stephanocoenia intercepta coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:64.99
    Units:percent
    Eusmilia fastigiata
    Gives the relative percent composition of Eusmilia fastigiata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:8.79
    Units:percent
    Mancinia areolata
    Gives the relative percent composition of Mancinia areolata coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:3.55
    Units:percent
    Oculina spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of Oculina spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0.50
    Units:percent
    Agaricia spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of Agaricia spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:5.27
    Units:percent
    Solenastrea bournoni
    Gives the relative percent composition of Solenastrea bournoni coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:11.71
    Units:percent
    Dendrogyra cylindrus
    Gives the relative percent composition of Dendrogyra cylindrus coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:29.19
    Units:percent
    Madracis spp.
    Gives the relative percent composition of Madracis spp. coral skeletons in the interval. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:6.78
    Units:percent
    Unidentified coral
    Gives the relative percent composition of coral skeletons in the interval that could not be identified. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:71.55
    Units:percent
    Exclude? (Y/N)
    Indicates whether the composition data from this interval was included in the paleoecological reconstruction by Toth and others (2019). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    YY=Yes, the data from this interval were excluded in Toth and others (2019).
    NN=No, the data from this interval were not excluded from Toth and others (2019).
    Reason for exclusion
    If the previous attribute contains a "Y", this attribute explains why the data were not included in the reef composition reconstruction of Toth and others (2019). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    No recoveryThe interval was excluded because there was no recovery of any reef substrate in this interval.
    Paleodepth >10 mThe interval was excluded because the estimated average paleodepth of the interval, in meters (m) below mean sea level (bMSL), was greater than 10 m.
    Too little data from this subregionThe interval was excluded because there was too little data from this (the Marquesas) subregion to include it in the statistical analyses.
    Age model could not be constructed because there was only one Holocene age from this coreThe interval was excluded because an age model could not be constructed because there was only one Holocene age from this core.
    No Holocene ages from this coreThe interval was excluded because there were no Holocene ages from this core that could be used to construct an age model.
    No coral recoveryThe interval was excluded because there was no recovery of coral in the interval.
    FKRT_Age_Estimates.csv, FKRT_Age_Estimates.xlsx
    Age estimates for Holocene FKRT core intervals. Data were to estimate starting and ending ages of intervals in the cores. (Source: USGS)
    Subregion
    The subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract where the core containing the sample was collected. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry Tortugas N.P.The westernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (N.P.).
    MarquesasThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between Dry Tortugas National Park and the Lower Keys.
    Lower KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Marquesas and the Middle Keys.
    Middle KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Lower Keys and the Upper Keys.
    Upper KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Middle Keys and Biscayne National Park.
    Biscayne N.P.The northernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park (N.P.).
    Site
    The name of the reef or site where a core was collected. (Source: USGS) The name given to the site by the researcher collecting the cores or the name of the reef where the cores were collected.
    Core ID
    Unique identifier for each core included in this study. (Source: USGS) Core IDs are generated using abbreviated information about the subregion, site, and core number and are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number.
    Depth in core (ft)
    The depth in the core, in feet (ft) relative to the reef surface, where the age was estimated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.3
    Maximum:55
    Units:feet
    Depth in core (m)
    The depth in the core, in meters (m) relative to the reef surface, where the age was estimated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.1
    Maximum:16.8
    Units:meters
    Age (years BP)
    The estimated age, in years before present (BP; where "present", by convention, is 1950) at which a layer in the core was deposited. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:10512
    Units:years before 1950 (years BP)
    Age measured or interpolated?
    Indicates whether the age is based on a measured radiometric age from a coral at that particular depth in the core (see Toth and others, 2018) or if the age was estimated by linear interpolation of adjacent ages in the cores (see Process Step). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    measuredIndicates that the age is based on a measured radiometric age from a coral at that particular depth in the core (see Toth and others, 2018).
    interpolatedIndicates that the age was estimated by linear interpolation of adjacent ages in the cores (see Process Step).
    FKRT_Paleodepth_Estimates.csv, FKRT_Paleodepth_Estimates.xlsx
    Paleodepth estimates for Holocene FKRT core intervals. Data were used to estimate starting and ending paleodepths of intervals in the cores. (Source: USGS)
    Subregion
    The subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract where the core containing the sample was collected. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry Tortugas N.P.The westernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (N.P.).
    MarquesasThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between Dry Tortugas National Park and the Lower Keys.
    Lower KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Marquesas and the Middle Keys.
    Middle KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Lower Keys and the Upper Keys.
    Upper KeysThe subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located between the Middle Keys and Biscayne National Park.
    Biscayne N.P.The northernmost subregion of the Florida Keys reef tract located within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park (N.P.).
    Site
    The name of the reef or site where a core was collected. (Source: USGS) The name given to the site by the researcher collecting the cores or the name of the reef where the cores were collected.
    Core ID
    Unique identifier for each core included in this study. (Source: USGS) Core IDs are generated using abbreviated information about the subregion, site, and core number and are formatted as: Region abbreviation-Site abbreviation-Core number.
    Depth in core (ft)
    The depth in the core, in feet (ft) relative to the reef surface, where the paleodepth was estimated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.3
    Maximum:55
    Units:feet
    Depth in core (m)
    The depth in the core, in meters (m) relative to the reef surface, where the paleodepth was estimated. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.1
    Maximum:16.8
    Units:meters
    Age (years BP)
    The estimated age, in years before present (BP; where "present", by convention, is 1950), at which a layer in the core was deposited. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:10512
    Units:years before 1950 (years BP)
    RSL (m MSL)
    Relative sea level at the stating age of the interval, in meters relative to mean sea level (m MSL), based on the Holocene sea-level reconstruction from south Florida developed by Khan and others (2017). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-24.62
    Maximum:-0.14
    Units:meters (m) relative to mean sea level (MSL)
    Estimated paleodepth (m bMSL)
    The estimated paleodepth at a particular depth in the core, in meters below mean sea level (m bMSL). This was calculated by subtracting the depth in the core from the RSL at the time that part of the core was deposited (see Process Step). Note that because of uncertainties both in the model of RSL and the estimated depth in the core, some estimated paleodepths are erroneously above MSL (that is, they are negative). (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-7.09
    Maximum:23.96
    Units:meters below mean sea level (m bMSL)

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Lauren T. Toth
    • Anastasios Stathakopoulos
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Lauren T Toth
    USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Research Oceanographer
    600 4Th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    United States

    727-502-8029 (voice)
    ltoth@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Data on the coral species composition of the Holocene reef framework were collected to 1) identify the primary coral taxa responsible for building Holocene reefs in the region, 2) evaluate the spatial and temporal variability of regional reef assemblages during the Holocene, 3) evaluate if and how species composition changed in response to changes in the rate of reef accretion, and 4) compare the composition of the Holocene reef framework to the composition of contemporary reef assemblages in the region. Please refer to, FKRT_Core_Locations.zip, in the Supplemental Information section of the data release (Toth and Stathakopoulos, 2019) for core location details.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    Sea-level data (source 1 of 2)
    Khan, N. S., Ashe, E., Horton, B. P., Dutton, A., Kopp, R. E., Brocard, G., Engelhart, S. E., Hill, D. F., Peltier, W. R., Vane, C. H., & Scatena, F. N., 2017, Drivers of Holocene sea-level change in the Caribbean: Quaternary Science Reviews, Netherlands, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Holocene sea-level reconstruction
    Source_Contribution: Used to calculate paleodepths of intervals within the cores
    Reef core data (source 2 of 2)
    Toth, L. T., Stathakopoulos, A., & Kuffner, I. B., 20180426, Descriptive core logs, core photographs, radiocarbon ages, and data on reef development for cores of Holocene reef framework from the Florida Keys reef tract: U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Core IDs, locations, depths, and radiometric ages
    Source_Contribution:
    Used to calculate paleodepths and average ages of intervals in the cores.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2018 (process 1 of 3)
    Quantifying Holocene Reef Composition: USGS researchers analyzed the composition of 61 cores through digital analysis of high-resolution, photographic core logs (provided in Toth and others, 2018) by identifying all visible material in the core photographs including corals, unconsolidated sediments, and consolidated carbonate reef rock, using the physical core records for reference. All coral taxa were identified to the species level whenever possible; however, some corals were combined into broader taxonomic groups. Agaricia, Madracis, Oculina, and Millepora spp., which were all rare in these records, were only identified to the genus level. Porites astreoides was always identified to the species level, but the other western Atlantic Porites spp.—P. porites, P. divaricata, and P. furcata—were grouped as “branching Porites spp.”. Orbicella annularis, O. faveolata, and O. franksi were all classified as “Orbicella spp.” because of difficulty in distinguishing fine-scale differences in the morphology of this group. Corals that were too taphonomically degraded or too small to be confidently identified to even the genus level were categorized as “unidentified coral species”. USGS researchers quantified the abundance of each coral taxon as well as unconsolidated sediment and carbonate reef rock by using the Area Analysis Tool in the program Coral Point Count (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) to digitally trace the projected surface area of all material in the core photographs. These data were used to calculate the percent composition of all core constituents within 229 recovered intervals OF the 61 cores. The individual depth intervals were defined based on core penetration depths indicated in the core boxes by the researchers who collected the cores (see Toth and others, 2018). For each interval in each core, the absolute and relative percent composition of all coral taxa were calculated. To calculate absolute percent recovery and composition, a theoretical surface area for each interval was first calculated by multiplying the penetration length of the interval (for example, 1.5 meters or 5 feet) by the average diameter of the core measured in CPCe, which varied between ~3 and 5 centimeters depending on the specific equipment used to collect the core. Absolute percent composition was then calculated by dividing the total measured area of each coral taxa (or other recovered material) in an interval by the theoretical, projected surface area of that interval. Relative percent composition of coral taxa was calculated as a percentage of total coral recovery by dividing the area represented by each individual coral taxa in an interval by the total area of all coral taxa in that interval.
    Date: 2018 (process 2 of 3)
    Age and Paleodepth Calculations: Intervals with no recovery, intervals containing only unconsolidated sediments, or intervals that only contained other non-coral material were not included in further analyses. In order to provide a paleoecological context for Holocene composition data, the mean age and paleodepth for each of the remaining 59 intervals in the cores was calculated. The ages of the boundaries of each depth interval in the cores was estimated by linear interpolation of the 203 radiometric ages for the 59 cores, which are provided in Toth and others (2018). The estimated ages of the beginning and end of the interval were then averaged to determine the mean age of that interval. Cores that did not have at least two ages (the minimum needed to generate age models) were not included. The average paleodepth for each interval was determined using the reconstruction of Holocene sea-level variability in south Florida developed by Khan and others (2017). First, Khan and others' (2017) model outputs were used to estimate the position of sea-level relative to modern mean sea level (MSL) at the beginning and end of each depth interval in the cores based on the estimated ages of those points. Depths of intervals in the core were converted to MSL by adding the water depth at the coring location (see Toth and others, 2018). Mean paleodepths were then calculated for each interval by averaging the paleodepths at the beginning and end of each interval.
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 3 of 3)
    Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: VeeAnn A. Cross
    Marine Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    vatnipp@usgs.gov
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Kohler, K.E., and Gill, S.M., 2006, Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe): A Visual Basic program for the determination of coral and substrate coverage using random point count methodology: Computers & Geosciences, Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    Online Links:

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The species identifications listed in the cores were independently verified by two USGS researchers: L.T. Toth and A. Stathakopoulos.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Blank fields within the dataset indicate that a particular attribute was not measured or reported for that sample. Note that only 61 cores were analyzed in the present study, but 71 were included in Toth and others, 2018. The cores that were excluded from this study were either did not have enough recovery for analysis or only represented a single coral colony.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    No formal logical accuracy tests were conducted.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints:
Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. The U.S. Geological Survey requests to be acknowledged as originator of these data in future products or derivative research.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Lauren T Toth
    USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Research Oceanographer
    600 4Th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    United States

    727-502-8029 (voice)
    ltoth@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system, or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The USGS shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described or contained herein. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 13-Oct-2020
Metadata author:
Lauren T Toth
USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Research Oceanographer
600 4Th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
United States

727-502-8029 (voice)
ltoth@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/Holocene_FKRT_composition_metadata.faq.html>
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